Each has scuffled at the plate this spring, Pagan hitting .243 with seven strikeouts in 37 at-bats and Theriot batting .219 in 32 at-bats. Beyond that, their situations diverge.

Barring injury, Pagan will be the center fielder when the Giants open the 2012 season at Arizona on April 6. They sent Andres Torres and Ramon Ramirez to the Mets to get Pagan. He is their man at the top of the order.

Theriot has no such security. The Giants signed him late in the winter for a $1.25 million contract that is not guaranteed and face an interesting decision in one week. If they cut Theriot by March 29, they need pay him only one-fourth of his contract, or $312,500. After that, his full salary is guaranteed.

Two things make the decision tricky. First, the Giants might not know by then whether starting second baseman Freddy Sanchez will start the season on the disabled list. Second, Emmanuel Burriss is out of minor-league options, and he has been one of the best and most-improved players in camp. Plus, he can play the outfield.

On Theriot's side are his experience, his right-handed bat, an assumption that second-year shortstop Brandon Crawford is not going to start against tough left-handed pitchers and questions about Sanchez's fragility that will linger even if he does make the Opening Day lineup.

The chances of the Giants keeping all three middle-infield candidates - Theriot, Burriss and Mike Fontenot - increase with every day Sanchez does not play.

Against that backdrop, Theriot finds himself in an unusual spot. Since 2007, he has gone to spring training with the Cubs (and in 2011, the Cardinals) with a starting job in hand. He could do whatever work he deemed necessary to prepare for the season. This spring, he is competing for a spot.

Nevertheless, Theriot said Monday he is taking the veteran's approach and trying to hone his game without worrying about his batting average or roster decisions beyond his control.

"I don't really think I've struggled," he said. "It's spring training. These stats don't go on the back of your baseball card. I'll be ready to go into the season of 162 games feeling confident. There are things you're working on that none of you guys know about.

"With the advent of social media and everybody keeping stats, it's kind of hard of us to do that, but the veteran in me just tries to keep that in my mind. Spring training is to get ready for the season."

At 32, Theriot is not the defensive player he was. The Cubs and Cardinals both shifted him from shortstop to second base. He changed his workout routine this winter to concentrate on lower-body strength, partly to regain first-step quickness that could aid his range.

"Earlier in my career I was a top-line defender, and that's what I'm trying to get back to, focusing on some smaller things," he said. "Changing my body style is something I worked on this winter to get back that same feeling I had in '05, '06, '07.

Burriss is 14-for-33 (.424) with five steals and has looked strong afield. He left Wednesday's 5-3 win with a tight right hamstring and will be evaluated today.

"Nothing serious," he said. "I've got a good thing going. Might as well just take some time to feel right."